Improvement in self-acting electric telegraphs



No. 15,373. PAITENTED JULY 22, 1856,

M. G. PARMER. SELF ACTING ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

5 sums-sum 1.

No. 15,373. PATEN -B1) JULY 22, 1856 M. G. PAR-MEIR. SELF ACTINGELECTRIC. TELEGRAPH.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 15,373. .PA TBNTED JULY 22, 1856.

M. G. FARMBR'.

SELF ACTING ELEGTRIG-TELIlGRAPH.

Elmira ST TES PATENT rricn.

MOSES ernmunn, or SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specif cation form ingpart of Letters Patent No. 15,373, dated July 22,1856.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, M. G. FARMER, of Salem, in the county of Essex andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electro -Magnetic Printing-Telegraphs, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich Figure l is a plan, Fig. 2 an elevation of the back, Fig. 3 anelevation of the front, of the instrum cut, the letter-wheel beingremoved to Show the parts behind, its position being indicated by thecircle q in red; Fig. 4, a vertical section upon the line A A of Fig. I,with part of the frame removed; Fig. 5, details, which will behereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is a diagram exhibiting a View of atelegraphic circuit containing the essential operating parts of twoinstruments.

My invention consists in the use of a circuit-wheel of peculiarconstruction,- the segments of which are connected with theoperating-keys so as to form alternately open and closed circuits, andin certain details employed in the carrying out of the first part of myinvention, which will hereinafter be particularly described.

I will first indicate the course of the current through the instrumentwhen the machine is in operation, then describe the general constructionand operation of the machine, and, lastly, the features which formthesubject of my present improvements.

The current from the battery enters the machine at A through the wireac. Thence it passes to magnet M at a. At 1) it leaves the magnet andpasses by the wire 0 to the framework B of the instrument, which,together with the other operating parts, is insulated upon the woodentable 0. The current leaves the instrument through the shaft D of thetype-wheel by the circuit-wheel spring d, from which it passes to thesegments 43 e" of the circuit-wheel thence through the wires F G to thekey-anvils f g. Through the anvils f and the corresponding keys thecircuits remain closed. Through the anvils g and their keys the circuitsare open. From these anvils the current passes by the keys A B O D,850., to the metallic bar L; thence along the key marked B r to itsanvil h, (the circuit here being closed thence by the wire 76 to thescrew'cup H, where it leaves the machine.

When the machine is not. in operation the current is allowed to passdirectly from the instrument at the point Z, at which it enters, to theswitch S w by the wire z, and without passing through the circuit-wheel. This switch is represented in Fig. 1 as open, the currentconsequently taking the previouslyindicated course through thecircuit-wheels and keys. When, however, the switch (which is capable ofmotion around the point m) is thrown into contact with the metallicbarI, as seen in red in Fig. 1, the current passes directly through thewire a to the bar L; thence by the break-circuit key 13 r and wire 70 tothe screw-cup H, as before.

The course of the current from the local battery which actuates theprinting-magnet will be. indicated hereinafter. i a

The manner in which motion is communicated to the circuit-wheel will nowbe described.-

The weight W is suspended by the cord N from a barrel, 0, of the shaftof the wheel I. This weight is'wound up by a key upon the projecting end1" of the shaft, the wheel P being connected with the barrels by thepawl S and ratchet-wheel T, that the position of the machinery may notbe altered by the winding upof the weight. The wheel P engages with thepinion R upon the shaft of the wheel S, which engages with a pinion, t,(seen dotted in red in Fig. 4,) upon the shaft D of the letter andprinting wheels. The wheelU upon this shaft drives a pinion, a, upon thearbor V of the escapement, the operation of which, in connection withthat of the circuit-wheel, will now be described. The body of this wheelQ is made of some insulating substance, hard india-rubber beingpreferred, metallic segments '5 i are let into the body of the wheel,

as seen in Fig. 2, and are thus entirely insulated from the instrument.The segments 2' are connected by the wires F with the anvils f of theclosed keys, and the segments't" are connected by the wires G with theanvils g of the open keys. An arm, 12, secured to the shaft D of theletter-wheel, carries a spring, d, which rests-in succession upon thesegments i i. The number of the segments corresponds with the number ofletters or characters employed. In the present instance there aretwenty-eight.

pass on without stopping.

In Fig. 5 is represented the operation of the escapement B and itsconnection with the magnet M. Two of its arms carry pins 0, which are ata less distance from the center than the pins d of the other arms. Thesepins rest upon the pallet A, the latter being vibrated so as to receivealternately the pins 0 and d by the making and breaking of the circuit.

When the machine is not writing the switch S w is in the position seenin red in Fig. 1, the current proceeding in the manner already indicatedwithout passing through the circuitwheel, the armature 0 remaining incontact with the magnet M. When the switch'is in the position seen inblack in Fig. 1, the current is caused to pass through the instrumentand circuit-wheel, and the operation is as follows: Commencing at theinstant when the spring at is resting upon one of the segments 6, whichis connected by its wire G with the anvil g of one of the open keys, thecurrent is now interrupted and the armature G is drawn away from itsmagnet M by the spring D. This motion of the armature (Fig. 5) liberatesone of the'pins, 0, of the escapement from the pallet and the latter isthrown into a position to catch and retain the next pin, d, of theescapement, whichis thus allowed to rotate ninety degrees. This motionof the escapement is sufficient to allow the spring d to pass onto oneof the segments, a, communicating by its wire F with'the anvil f of oneof the closed keys, by which the circuit is again closed and the magnetM charged. The armature O is now attracted to it, and the pallet A ismoved so as,

to let off the pin d of the escapement and catch the next one, 0. Thisallows the spring d to pass onto the next segment, i, of an opencircuit, and thus the armature 0, being no longer attracted by itsmagnet, is drawn back again by its spring shifting, as before, thepallet A,

and permitting the escapement to revolve another quadrant, as before,and thus the spring d, and with it the letter-wheel, is caused torevolve continuously so long as the battery continues in operation.

The spring d and segments 6 i must be so adjusted to each other that thespring shall touch the succeeding segment before itleaves thesegmentwhich it may at any time be on;

for when the keyof an open segment is pressed down three contiguoussegments are closed, and the escapement, not being let off by the motionof the armature and pallet, the circuit spring stops. If, however, therewere an instant during the passage of the spring from one of thesesegments to another when it touched neither of them the circuit would bebroken, the armature would fly back and releasethe escapement, and thespring would Two similar instruments, arranged as above at opposite endsof a magnetic line, when once placed in correspondence--that is, withtheir springs d upon similar segments of the circuit-wheelwill continuethus in correspondence, the lettor-wheel in each being moved forward aing in number and character with the letters of the letter-wheel. Thesetypes are so arranged that the type that is brought into position to beprinted from shall correspond with the letter. presented to viewby theletterwheel. When the printing-wheel is arrested the impression is takentherefrom in the following manner:

F is the printing-magnet, its armature K being held suspended therefromby the spring G, Fig. 4.. r;

H is a lever attached to the armature an pivoted to the frame at f atthe opposite end. This lever carries the printing-hammer 1, which liesimmediately beneath the printingwheel E, Fig. 1, and as the armature isdrawn down upon its magnet the hammer is thrown up against theprojecting face of the type, an impression of which is transferred tothe paper L, which is guided into the machine upon the curved metalstrips M N, the latter having a hole at g, through which the hammerpasses as it strikes the paper up to the printing-wheel. The paper isfed forward through the machine between the rolls 'r l, which areoperated (Fig. 4) aftereach impression is made by the pawl O, pivoted toan arm secured to the lever H.

The hammer is arranged like the hammer of a clock-bell, so as to springaway from the type-wheel so soon as the blow has been given.

I will now explain the manner in which the magnet F is caused to act.For this purpose a local battery, Q, is employed, the current from whichenters the machine by the wire h to the screw-cup R, whence it passes bythe wire k to the magnet F From the magnet it passes by the wire m tothe frame of the machine, and to the dropping pallet S. The other wire,a, from the local battery enters the machine at the screw-cup T, whichis connected with the pin p by the wire g. This pin projects from anivory block, 1", or is otherwise suitably insulated from the machine,from which it is evident that when the pallet S is raised from contactwith the pin 1 the current will be broken and the magnet F will not becharged. When, however, the pallet S is allowed to rest upon the pin 19the current is closed, the armature K drawn down, and the hammer isprojected against the typewheel. The types are inked by the ink-roll W,which'rests lightly upon their faces, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4..

continues in operation it should remain inactive. This iseftected in thefollowing manner: The pallet S rests upon the wheel U, secured to theshaft of the printing-wheel. When this pallet isvborne upon one of theteeth 8 of the wheel U, it is raised out of contact with the 'pinp.When,however,itfalls between two of theteeth s! it descends so low as tocome in contact with the pinp, by which the circuit is completed and themagnet is caused to act. During the continuous revolution of the printing-wheel and cog-wheel U, the pallet S is caused to make such momentarycontacts with the pin 1;, that there is not time sutiicient to bring themagnet into operation. When, however, the printing-wheel stops thepalletsfalls between two of the teeth 8 and closes the circuit. It isnecessary that the number of the teeth on the wheelU be some multiple ofthe number of segments in the circuit-wheel.

It now remains to describe the manner in which the motion of theletter-wheel and printing wheel is arrested by the manipulation of thekeys A B O, &c.

Suppose the machine to be in operation and the key I to be depressed,the circuit through this key and its anvil f and wire F, which beforewas closed, is thus opened, and on the arrival of the springcl at thecorresponding segment t'it finds the circuit broken, and the armature Ois not attracted to its magnet M, but remains as seen in Fig. 2 so longas the keyI remainsdepressed. ()n this keybeingreleased theprinting-wheel is again allowed to revolve, as before. If nowone of theopen circuit-keys -L, for instancebe depressed, the circuit through thiskey, which before was open, is now closed, and on the arrival of spring01 at the segment 'i, in connection with the anvil g of this key, itfinds the circuit closed, and the armature G remains in contact with itsmagnet, and the spring 61 again remains stationary until the key isrelieved, the hammer rising each time a key is depressed to give theimpression of the'type upon the paper, as before.

Should the operator at the receiving-station discover that theinstruments are not regulated in correspondence with each other, hedepresses the breakcircuit key Br, by which means both instruments arestopped, whereby notice is given to the operator at the other stationthat something is wrong. He then proceeds to bring them into accordancewith each other by means of the following device: An open key, Ry,calledthe regulatin g-key, is em ployed for the purpose. The anvil q ofthis key is conneoted with the screw-cup A by the wire 12. The keyitself is connected by means of the wire a with an insulated pin, t, inthe face of the circuit-wheel Q. This pin carries a spring, 0 whichprojects within the path of the arm b. The spring 0 has not sufficientstrength to arrest the motion of the arm, but on coming in contacttherewith when the regulating-key Hg is depressed a new path is openedfor the current,which it takes without passing through the magnet, andthe arm b is arrested, and with it the letter and printing wheels. Themachine is so arranged that when thus arrested the spring 01 shallalways fall upon the segment corresponding to the key (dot.) Thereceiving-m achine is thus stopped upon this key; but as the current isonly turned out of the receivingnagnet and not broken thetransmittingmachine continues in operation. The operator at the latterstation then depresses his key (dot,) by which his instrument is alsostopped upon this key. Itis necessary, however, th athe hold this keydepressed until the operator at the other end of the line has time torelieve his regulating-key. Otherwise the transmitting-machine wouldproceed without the other, and the desired end would not be attained.After the lapse of a few seconds the operator at the receivin g-stationreleases the regulating key, and then when the key (dot) is relieved atthe other station the two machines proceed together.

By means of the wires F and G, I am enabled to employ a straightkey-board with a circuit-wheel placed in any desired position withoutthe use of the complicated system of levers that would otherwise benecessary to connect the two.

Operation: When neither stationis transmittin g the switch Sw of eachinstrument is turned into the position represented in red in Fig. 1. Thecurrent then passes from the screw-cup A, through the magnet M, by thewires 0 and z, to the switch Sw and bar I; thence by the bar L, key Br,anvil h, and wire 70 to the screw cup H. The current not passing throughthe circuit-wheel is not broken, and the magnet remains permanentlycharged. When the oper ator at one end desires to transmit he moves hisswitch Sw into the position seen in black in Fig. 1, by which thecurrent is thrown through the circuit-wheel of his machine, whereby thecircuit is made and broken, and the armatures of both magnets are set inoperation, and the circuit-springs, letter-wheels,

and printing-wheels of both instruments rethe receiving-instrument itpasses from the screw-cup A by the magnet M, thence by the wires 0 and zto the switch S20 and bar I, and by the wire a to the bar L, back to thescrew cup H, as before.

I do not claim arresting the motion of the type-wheel by a positive stopupon the key, which interrupts the motion of the wheel whenever akey isdepressed, and at a moment when the circuit is broken, as in thetelegraph of Siemens & Halskes; but 7 What I do claim as my invention,and de-- sire to secure to by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method herein described of arresting the motion of the type-wheelby means of the alternately open and closed keys in combination with thecircuit-wheel, constructed and operatingin the manner substantially asherein set forth.

2. The combination of a straight key-board with acircuit-wheel, when thetwo are connected together by means of the wires F and G, whereby theplace of making and breaking the circuit may be transferred to theimmediate vicinity of the key-board, for the purpose set forth. 1

3. The method herein described of putting the two machines incorrespondence with each other, the current being turned out of theoperating-magnet M of the receiving-machine by means of theregulating-key By, the arm I), insulated spring 0 and their connection,operating in the manner substantially as set forth.

MOSES G. FARMER.

Witnesses:

SAM. COOPER, THos. R. ROAGH.

